1. This invention pertains to an apparatus and a method of measuring length using both a flexible tape and a rigid rule fastened to a single housing; the measurement result may include the effective length of both the rule and the tape and is especially effective for measuring recess dimensions.
2. THE PRIOR ART
It has been exceedingly difficult to accurately measure small liner dimensions with tape measures. The L-shape nose piece on a typical tape is fastened to the tape with afore-aft clearance to negate the thickness of the nose stop, and the nose stop gets bent in and/or out. Accurate measurement is not reliable. It has also been difficult to measure inside of slots, grooves, rabbits, T-slots, dove-tails, dados and the like. Measuring a recess is difficult with a tape measure. As a specific example, measuring for sliding covers in bread drawers, measuring for drawer widths, and measuring for the size of glass panes in windows are all exceedingly difficult.
The closest known prior patent art is B. P. Haack U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,989 which has both a flexible tape and a rigid rule on single housing, but which does not provide for using the length of both the tape and the rule to obtain a measurement of length between outer ends of the tape and the rule.